Locations: Denver, CO. Position: Director, Channel Development Job Type: Full-time
Assured Data Protection is a global leader in data backup and disaster recovery managed services, specializing in safeguarding against data loss and downtime in the event of a disaster, cyber, or ransomware attack. Our fully managed services include immutable backup, disaster recovery, and cyber resiliency to protect data on-premises and in the cloud, with 24/7/365 expert support.
We offer a flexible, consumption-based model to grow with your business, making data protection cost-effective and scalable. Our purpose-built software provides industry-leading monitoring and reporting capabilities to provide actionable insights into your data protection strategy. Our global data centers ensure data sovereignty, meeting your organization’s compliance requirements. A dedicated team is always available to recover your data and minimize disruption in the event of a disaster.
Job Summary:
The Director, Channel Development is responsible for leading the company’s channel development strategy, managing the internal Channel Development team, and building strong, productive relationships across the partner ecosystem. This role will drive partner engagement, development, and growth while ensuring the internal team has the structure, priorities, tools and accountability needed to deliver results.
The Director, Channel Development will serve as a senior relationship leader for key partners, working to strengthen existing relationships, increase partner-generated opportunities, expand engagement within strategic accounts, and identify opportunities to develop new partnerships.
This position requires a combination of people leadership, relationship management, commercial acumen, and operational discipline. The successful candidate will be equally comfortable coaching an internal team, engaging senior partner stakeholders, developing joint growth strategies, and using data to evaluate channel performance.
Key Responsibilities
Channel Strategy & Leadership:
- Develop and execute the channel development strategy in alignment with the company’s overall growth and sales objectives.
- Translate company objectives into clear channel priorities, programs, and measurable goals.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen the existing partner ecosystem and expand relationships with high-potential partners.
- Partner with Sales and executive leadership to determine where channel investment will have the greatest impact.
- Establish clear measures of success for channel development, partner engagement, pipeline contribution, and revenue growth.
- Represent the channel organization in internal leadership discussions and provide visibility into performance, opportunities, and risks.
Team Leadership & Development:
- Lead, coach, and develop the internal Channel Development team.
- Establish clear roles, responsibilities, performance expectations, and goals for team members.
- Create a disciplined operating cadence for partner management, including account planning, pipeline reviews, partner activity, and follow-up.
- Coach team members on relationship development, partner engagement, opportunity identification, and commercial conversations.
- Build a high-performing culture focused on accountability, collaboration, responsiveness, and measurable business outcomes.
- Identify development opportunities for team members and build capabilities as the channel organization grows.
- Ensure appropriate coverage and prioritization of strategic, growth, and developing partners.
Partner Relationship Management:
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key partner stakeholders, including senior leadership, sales leaders, account teams, and other influential contacts.
- Serve as an executive-level point of contact for strategic partner relationships.
- Develop a deep understanding of each strategic partner’s business model, priorities, customers, capabilities, and growth objectives.
- Create joint business plans with priority partners that establish shared goals, target opportunities, activities, and measures of success.
- Increase partner engagement and strengthen the company’s position as a trusted, strategic partner.
- Proactively identify relationship gaps and develop strategies to increase engagement across multiple levels of partner organizations.
- Address partner concerns and remove obstacles that could negatively affect the relationship or future business opportunities.
- Conduct regular partner business reviews to evaluate performance, pipeline, opportunities, and areas for further development.
Channel Growth & Revenue Development:
- Drive increased partner-sourced and partner-influenced pipeline and revenue.
- Work with partners to identify new customer opportunities, whitespace within existing accounts, and opportunities for joint selling.
- Increase the number of actively engaged and revenue-producing partners.
- Develop strategies to move partners from initial engagement to consistent opportunity generation.
- Identify high-potential partners and determine where additional investment, enablement, or executive engagement could accelerate growth.
- Collaborate with Sales leadership to ensure partner-generated opportunities are effectively transitioned, pursued, and tracked.
- Support strategic partner negotiations and commercial discussions when appropriate.
- Evaluate new potential partnerships based on strategic alignment, market opportunity, customer access, and revenue potential.
Partner Enablement & Engagement:
- Work cross-functionally to ensure partners understand the company’s solutions, value proposition, ideal customer profile, and sales approach.
- Identify partner training and enablement needs and coordinate appropriate resources.
- Develop repeatable partner engagement programs that encourage ongoing participation and opportunity development.
- Partner with Marketing on channel campaigns, partner communications, events, webinars, and joint demand-generation initiatives.
- Ensure partners have the information, tools, and internal connections necessary to effectively position the company’s solutions.
- Create opportunities to increase visibility and engagement with partner sales teams and leadership.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Work closely with Sales leadership and account teams to align partner activity with territory and account strategies.
- Partner with Marketing to develop channel campaigns, partner events, communications, and sales enablement materials.
- Collaborate with Technical, Solutions Engineering, Customer Success, and Operations teams to support partner and customer opportunities.
- Ensure effective communication between the Channel Development team and the broader commercial organization.
- Advocate internally for strategic partners while balancing partner needs with company objectives.
Performance Measures:
- Individual new and existing partner sourced opportunities
- Pipeline generated by partner relative to goal
- Number and percentage of actively producing partners
- Partner engagement and activity
- Completion and execution of strategic partner business plan
- Team performance against individual and departmental goals
Qualifications:
- 10+ years of experience in channel sales, partner development, business development, strategic alliances, or related commercial roles.
- 3+ years of experience leading and developing a team.
- Experience working with National, Regional and TSD Channel Partners
- Experience selling managed services solutions
- Demonstrated success building and expanding strategic partner relationships.
- Strong understanding of channel-driven sales models and partner ecosystems.
- Experience developing partner strategies and translating them into measurable business results.
- Proven ability to develop relationships with senior-level partner and customer stakeholders.
- Strong commercial judgment and understanding of pipeline development, forecasting, and revenue growth.
- Excellent leadership, coaching, communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
- Ability to operate effectively across Sales, Marketing, Technical, Operations, and executive teams.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to use data to prioritize investments and evaluate channel performance.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, growing organization where channel processes and programs continue to evolve.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience within a technology, managed services, cloud, data protection, cybersecurity, infrastructure, or SaaS organization.
- Experience working with VARs, MSPs, technology alliances, distributors, referral partners, or other indirect sales channels.
- Experience developing joint business plans and go-to-market strategies with strategic partners.
- Experience scaling a channel organization or introducing greater structure and accountability into an existing partner program.
- Experience managing relationships across multiple geographic markets.
Assured Data Protection we value diversity and inclusivity. We offer perks such, flex holidays, robust 401k plan, and flexible working practices to allow our employees to show up as their whole selves. We are an equal-opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us know.
